Going with the flow

What does it mean to go with the flow? And, what flow exactly is it we are meant to be going with?

The flow is the flow of Life.

For most of us, it’s too scary to go with the flow of Life.

We try to hold on to what we have and either stay where we are or we fight to get to where we want to go. We resist the flow because we have no control of the flow. We have no control over where the flow will take us or of what the flow will bring to us.

Going with the flow is surrendering to something bigger than ourselves – it’s surrendering to Life.

We think we’re living our life. That’s why we want to exercise some control over the events of our lives. We make plans. We set goals, and we set off with the best of intentions.

Sometimes we make life difficult for ourselves by not letting go of things that have already happened. We fail to learn from our mistakes – hell, we don’t even admit to making any mistakes. We blame everybody and everything else.

You can’t go with the flow while you chain yourself to your past. She left you five years ago but you’re still yearning for her. He chose somebody else but you’re still waiting for him to notice you. If only you had or hadn’t said or done something, things would have turned out differently.

Things turned out the way they turned out. You can’t change that.

Acknowledge your part in it; forgive all your imagined hurts, and let the past go.

Bring your attention into the present. What’s happening in your life now, today, in this moment? That’s the flow for you right now.

The lesson to learn is that Life is living through you. Nothing happens to you. It all happens for you. But you won’t notice that while you’re busy resisting Life’s gifts.

The flow brings people into your life, and the flow takes people out of your life. Sometimes, Life removes Mary so she can introduce you to Helen. Sometimes, Life takes away your job so she can introduce you to your purpose.

Take a deep breath and ask yourself – what is it, that you think you can control.

Do you have any say in whether it will rain tomorrow or whether the sun will come up in the morning?

Do you have any say in whether your lover will be with you tonight, let alone tomorrow?

Do you have any say in whether you will wake up in the morning each night when you go to sleep?

Do you have any say in anything?

Life gets a lot easier when you realise that yes, you can make plans, you can set out with the best of intentions, but you have no say in whether you’ll get there or in deciding who you will meet or what will happen along the way.